Nancys Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

Steps:

• The day before cooking, sprinkle the turkey very generously inside and out with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
• Remove turkey from refrigerator at least 1 hour prior to cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rub the skin of the bird with butter. Stuff the carrot, celery, onion and thyme bunch inside the cavity. Arrange the turkey on a roasting rack set into a roasting pan. Add the chicken stock to the pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 160 degrees F, about 4 hours.
• Remove the turkey to a cutting board, tent lightly with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, set the roasting pan over medium-heat high, add the flour and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the sage and 3 tablespoons thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a gravy boat to serve with the turkey.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove the wings from the turkey and set aside on a baking sheet or large plate. Remove the legs and then separate the thighs from the drumsticks; place on the baking sheet. With kitchen scissors, cut along the ribs to remove the backbone from the turkey, leaving behind a full bone-in breast. (Alternatively, ask your butcher to cut the turkey into parts.)
• Sprinkle the wings, thighs and legs with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large braiser or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the wings, legs and thighs until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add to the pan 4 tablespoons of the butter, the celery, leeks and onions, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped herbs. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, 5 minutes. Add the flour, stirring until completely incorporated. Pour in the cognac and 4 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Return the seared turkey parts to the pan, skin-side up, without submerging them completely in the liquid. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until the meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, rub the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over the skin of the turkey breast. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped herbs and some salt and pepper. Place the breast on a rack over a roasting pan and transfer to the oven.
• Roast for 45 minutes. Add the remaining 4 cups chicken broth to the roasting pan and baste the turkey with the pan juices. Continue to roast, basting every 30 minutes and adding more chicken broth to the pan as needed, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, another 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from the oven and transfer the breast to a cutting board. Let rest for 30 minutes, reserving pan juices.
• Remove the wings, legs and thighs from the braising liquid and arrange them on a serving platter. Carve the breast and arrange it on the platter alongside the turkey parts. Add the reserved turkey breast pan juices to the braising liquid in the braiser and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, then strain the gravy and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Crush the stuffing mix into crumbs in a bowl; stir garlic powder and onion salt into crumbs. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Beat egg and milk together in a separate shallow bowl.
• Dip turkey cutlets in flour, then in egg mixture; gently press into crumbs to coat. Place the breaded cutlets into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the juices run clear and the cutlets are no longer pink inside, about 20 minutes.
• Whisk dry gravy mix with water in a saucepan until smooth, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Pour gravy over cutlets to serve.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onion and cook until yellow. Stir in as many breadcrumbs as fit and heat.
• Transfer to a large, deep bowl and add celery, seasoning and the rest of the bread. Mix well. If too dry, add enough broth or water to moisten (don't make it soggy!).

Steps:

• For the turkey: Place the turkey in a large bowl or pot, add the hard apple cider and salt. Then cover and refrigerate in the brine overnight.
• For the stuffing: In a large skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the celery and onions, and saute until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the calvados, apricots, dates, salt and pepper. Stir and cook at a simmer until the liquid reduces and thickens, and the fruit is plump, about 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, add the toasted bread, broth, pecans, sage, thyme and eggs. Add the vegetable mixture to bowl and mix to incorporate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish.
• Drain the turkey from the brine, rinse and pat all over to dry. Lay the turkey skin-side down on a work surface and use a sharp knife to butterfly the breast so that it lays flat. Sprinkle the turkey with 2 tablespoons of the Poultry Seasoning, then place 3 cups of the stuffing in the center of the breast and fold the ends of the turkey to cover. Flip the turkey over to seam-side down, and use kitchen twine to tie the turkey at 1-inch intervals.
• Place the remaining stuffing in the prepared casserole dish, and set aside.
• Arrange the sliced onions in the center of a roasting pan. Rub the turkey skin with the butter, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Poultry Seasoning, and then place the turkey over the sliced onions. Roast, basting occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours.
• After about 1 hour 30 minutes, add the stuffing to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the turkey from the pan and rest for 10 to 15 minutes, reserving the pan with the drippings for a later use.
• For the gravy: Place the roasting pan with the drippings on the stovetop set over medium-high heat. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Use a spoon to scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan.
• In a medium bowl, add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and the flour. Whisk to make a slurry.
• Add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and the slurry into the roasting pan. Whisk until combined and smooth. Then simmer until the gravy reduces and thickens, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the strings from the turkey and carve it into slices. Serve the turkey with the stuffing and gravy.
• Place the marjoram, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme in a spice grinder or blender and grind until powdery.